Earl Palmer 1924-2008
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One of the founding fathers of rock'n'roll, drummer Earl Palmer, famed for his work in both New Orleans and Los Angeles, died on Friday 19th September, five weeks short of his 84th birthday. Joining Dave Bartholomew's Band in 1947, he allowed the young Antoine "Fats" Domino to sit in with the band, and was the drummer on "The Fat Man" in 1950 - a jump blues tune that has some claims to be the first "true" rock'n'roll record. He also drummed on Smiley Lewis "I Hear You Knockin'" and Lloyd Price's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" before becoming involved in the second major revolution in rock'n'roll.
Yes, he was the house drummer for Little Richard, playing on "Lucille", "Tutti Frutti", "Long Tall Sally" and "Good Golly Miss Molly". Incredibly, his kit back then consisted of a snare, a bass drum and a single cymbal.
Having cut many other rock'n'roll tunes, a relationship that crossed the racial divide was sufficiently controversial as to necessitate a move to California, where he drummed on Richie Valens "La Bamba". By the 1960s, he was house drummer for Phil Spector, playing on "River deep Mountain High" and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling". as a session man, he backed Tim Buckley, Marvin Gaye, Randy Newman and others, and was occasionally an uncredited "helper" for the Byrds and the Beach Boys. In jazz, he backed Ketty Lester and Sarah Vaughan, and he was the drummer on "Sinatra and Swingin' Brass" in 1962.
By 1968, he was being paid $100,000 a year as a session man. In later years he played on the "Top Gun" soundtrack, and backed Elvis Costello - quite breathtaking.
Here he is, right back where it all began
Comments (4)
Here he is again, this time playing with Dave Bartholomew and his Orchestra, recorded in New Orleans in 1952 - "Who Drank My Beer When I Was in the Rear"
And of course I couldn't conclude this tribute without a tune from the flamboyant Mr Penniman - drums to the fore here on "Rip It Up"
A true King of Rock..no doubt. Defining the genre.
Sad, but true, its been a rough year for music. Earl Palmer was that drummer. The one who'd construct a skeleton to hang music on. Steady as Gibraltar, but with a bounce, a supple rhythmist who understood that sometimes its what you leave out that marks your genius. Working in the background to make everyone better. It always seemed he communicated telepathicaly with his bassist, and any drummer or bassist will tell you that's not always an easy thing to do.
R.I.P.